Youngsters Trujillo, Perry Making Mark In Buffs Secondary

BOULDER — Colorado freshman defensive back Mark Perry remembers what it was like for him and his fellow newcomers in fall camp.

Matched against the Buffaloes' top-flight receiving corps on a regular basis, it meant a rapid initiation and some long days for the youngsters.

"It was really ugly," Perry said with a laugh this week. "Compared to now, we look like we belong out there, like we've been out there for a little bit. There's still room to improve, we're not there yet and we have a lot more work to do — but compared to when we first got here, it's a lot better."

Indeed, Perry — who now checks in at the star spot on CU's defense — and fellow freshman K.J. Trujillo have made solid strides since the dog days of August. Both are getting regular playing time, both are producing and both should be fixtures for the Buffs for the next several seasons.

Trujillo has stepped in at cornerback, where he has made four consecutive starts after injuries hit the Buffs hard there. Perry, meanwhile, is getting more playing time — including one start — as Colorado continues to utilize Davion Taylor in a variety of roles as an outside linebacker and star back.

Both had solid games last Friday in the Buffs' 35-31 loss to USC. Trujillo had five tackles (including his first career sack), two pass breakups and an interception in 70 snaps. Perry, who started one week prior against Washington State, played 47 snaps against the Trojans and had one tackle for a 6-yard loss along with a quarterback hurry.

Trujillo's work against USC came against a star-studded group of wide receivers. But CU head coach Mel Tucker said the freshman corner wasn't overwhelmed by the challenge.

"You have to use really good technique and have to compete," Tucker said. "Belief precedes success. First you have to believe you can make the plays and get the job done. He has confidence and we have confidence in him that he can get it done. He pays attention and it is important to him. He works really hard. He understands that technique is important. He is able to take technique in practice and carry it over into the game and he continues to get better."

Trujillo's interception and two pass breakups all came on third downs, each time ending a USC possession. While he also gave up some tough catches, his performance showed that he has the potential to be a regular playmaker in the Buffs' secondary.

"I think I'm just getting acclimated to the college level," he said. "Getting more reps has built our confidence, which has improved our play."

CU coaches have also utilized the youngsters in a variety of blitz packages. That yielded Trujillo's first sack of his career while Perry recorded a tackle for loss on a USC running back while also getting a quarterback pressure that forced an incompletion.

Both like the idea of getting into the backfield.

"I loved it," Trujillo said with a grin of the play that saw him corral USC quarterback Kedon Slovis for a 7-yard loss. "I wanted them to keep calling it the whole game. I got my first sack and I was like, 'Wow, call it again.' "Nate (Landman, CU linebacker) did a great job on that play and took the running back out. I had a clear shot."

Perry also had a clear shot at USC running back Kenan Christon that produced a 6-yard loss. Perry said he "couldn't miss" that tackle after missing an opportunity for a sack one week earlier at Washington State.

"I left that one on the field," Perry said. "That bothered me a lot. Last game when he called the play, I said, 'OK, I have to make this play.'"

The play of Trujillo and Perry hasn't gone unnoticed by their teammates, particularly CU's wide receivers, who see them every day in practice.

"They've progressed big time," wideout Laviska Shenault Jr. said. "Especially K.J. He's definitely progressed a lot. That's what happens when you get to guard some of the best receivers. Definitely they've all gotten tremendously better."

While Trujillo has the task of playing on the cornerback "island," Perry has had to learn one of the more complicated positions on CU's defense. The star back must play some zone pass coverage, some man-to-man coverage and run defense as well. It is, he said, basically a combination of cornerback, linebacker and safety.

"You have pass responsibility and you have run responsibility," he said. "You really have to pay attention to your keys, read through the line, read through the running back. You kind of have two plays in one, especially teams that run RPOs (run-pass options). You have to be on your toes."

Now, the two freshmen and their defensive cohorts are focusing on ending a four-game skid and getting back on the winning side of the ledger Saturday when they play a 7 p.m. game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

"We have four more games in the regular season," Perry said. "We're really focusing on one by one. We have to go out and do something."

MONTEZ CLOSING IN ON RECORDS: With 8,888 career yards passing and 9,775 in total offense, Colorado quarterback Steven Montez is well within the 9,000 mark for passing and 10,000 for total offense, and is second on CU's all-time list in both categories. Only former quarterback Sefo Liufau (10,509) has had more total offensive yards in a CU career. Liufau also holds the passing record with 9,568 yards.

With 59 touchdown passes, Montez is also just one away from tying the CU record of 60, held by Liufau and Cody Hawkins.

GAMES PLAYED RECORD: CU punter Alex Kinney, meanwhile, has a very good chance of becoming CU's all-time leader in games played. Kinney has already appeared in 51 games in his career, with the record of 52 held by tight end Quinn Sypniewski in the early 2000s.

BUFFS BITS: Four of CU's offensive linemen — tackles William Sherman and Arlington Hambright, center Tim Lynott and guard Kary Kutsch — played all 77 offensive snaps against USC. But the Buffs again rotated at right guard, where senior Jack Shutack got his second start and played 53 snaps and redshirt freshman Casey Roddick got 24 snaps … CU's Shenault has earned 32 first downs on 47 offensive touches this season, including 7-for-7 on picking up a first down on third- and fourth-down rushing attempts out of the wildcat … Lynott, by the way, still leads the current Buffs with 41 career starts, followed by quarterback Steven Montez (35) and Landman (20).

KELLY VS. BUFFS: UCLA head coach Chip Kelly is 2-1 vs. the Buffs, with both victories coming when he was at Oregon. Colorado beat Kelly in his first year at UCLA last season, when CU twice rallied from deficits to claim a 38-16 win in Boulder.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu